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Originally Posted by aad0002  Sikh 80 ji 1.All Sikhs are considered Hindus by the Indian Constitution .
Maybe a little more clarification is needed for the average non-Indian reader -- both about the constitution and the practical application of this. 2.My understanding-- and no doubt it is flawed -- is that Sikhs are grouped with Hindus in consideration of minority/majority status when compared to scheduled classes (formerly known as untouchable castes). So the representation of Sikhs makes them members of majority classes along with Hindus for purposes of allocating governmental resources and political positions or placements in universities. But Sikhs are not condered Hindus per se. The census data for India still distinguishes Sikhs, Jains, Muslims, and so forth from Hindus.
This is a really confusing issue for most people who are not from India. Maybe you or someone else could go into more detail.
Thanks |
Obviously all the sikhs are to be treated as per the constitution. There is no specific benefit that may flow to sikhs for this. Sikhs have also backward classes [ Other Backward classes, here known as OBCs] and they get there reservations for the backward classes.
However, Sikhs, although in minority are not able to get any benefit for their being intrinsically minority in nature. But the minority status is not available to sikhs. Even the Muslims which may be 10 times the sikhs have this minority benefit to the extent that they get the 'Haj' subsidy for undertaking their Haz/pilgrimage from the tax payers money. Government Of India subsidises it.
I shall quote the following for the benefit of those interested. It is an Article 25 of constitution Of India and is self explanatory.
RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF RELIGION
(1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.
(2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the State from making any law -
(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice;
(b) providing for social welfare and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.
Explanation I.- The wearing and carrying of kirpans shall be deemed to be included in the profession of the Sikh religion.
Explanation II.- In sub-clause (b) of clause reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly.
Had sikhs not been clubbed with Hindus they would have got the minority status and would have progressed a lot. But thanks to Sikh Leadership that was dormant for the last six decades and the credit for this goes to those sikhs as well who could not present their view points even though they had enough chance to do so. It is only a part of painful Sikh history.
Only leadership of that time i.e pre-and post independence has to take the onus. As stated by one of the members that there were sikhs included in the drafting of constitution but they preferred to not to get their view points recorded even in a vote of dissent and left the meetings without arguing and fighting for the rights of the sikhs.
M A Jinnah was a single Muslim who was instrumental for carving out Pakistan with his pen and type writer and could negotiate with the British Government , But sikhs were mostly under the inactive,weak and inefficient leadership.
Sikhs have therefore suffered a lot on account of the poor quality of leadership during the pre and post independence era.